BSNL Shifts To Next Generation Networks Technology For Fixed Line Services

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, has inaugurated the Next Generation Networks (NGN technology) for the fixed line services of BSNL today at the Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi.

According to their statement,

At present, BSNL plans to convert 14 million telephone lines with NGN technology. This is expected to cover more than 80 percent urban customers and approximately 90 percent rural customers. However, it is anticipated that the entire fixed line customers will have NGN facility by December, 2017. Initially, BSNL plans to invest approximately Rs.1,000 crores in upgrading the TDM technology with NGN technology.

The prominent feature of the NGN is that one network can transport all kinds of information or services by condensing these into packets, much like the Internet. Commending BSNL on the introduction of the new technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that this technology would help India in accomplishing the aims of the Digital India program of the Prime Minister. The voice calling feature on this new technology will be available at the same rate as the present BSNL fixed line service . Although, video calls may be charged a bit higher.

Currently, BSNL has more than 36000 telephone exchanges. Out of these, 28000 are in rural areas. These exchanges are working on the Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) technology that provides only voice calls. NGN will help to provide both, the fixed line telephony and broadband from the same telephone exchange. The government has planned to invest approximately Rs 1,000 crore is to upgrade the TDM technology.